By Sherezade Rodriguez
The PIE Center is well represented when it comes to shaping the future of UF/IFAS Extension.
PIE Center Director Tracy Irani, along with faculty members Joy Rumble and Alexa Lamm, represent the PIE Center on five of the seven high-priority initiatives Extension leaders have identified to guide program development, delivery and evaluation.
Irani, who was appointed as interim director of UF/IFAS Family, Youth and Community Sciences on Oct. 1, will contribute to the initiative focused on empowering individuals and families to build healthy lives and achieve social and economic success. She will continue to direct the PIE Center in her new role.
Rumble, an assistant professor with the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, serves as co-leader of the priority area that focuses on the sustainability, profitability and competitiveness of agriculture and natural resources.
She will specifically focus on agricultural awareness and the disconnect between consumers and producers as she works with the team to create programming to increase youth, consumer and policymakers’ awareness of agricultural resources.
“Addressing agricultural awareness is really important to the future success of our industry,” Rumble said. “I am excited to build relationships with Extension agents and specialists throughout the state because we all have different perspectives and experiences that we bring to the table to work toward one common goal of enhancing public awareness of agricultural and natural resources.”
UF/IFAS Extension leaders sought input from community leaders, focus groups and online comments to better understand Floridians’ opinions of issues affecting people’s lives, the economy and jobs, as well as the state’s natural environment.
Lamm, who oversaw the PIE Center’s first public opinion survey about water quality and quantity issues, is part of the initiative focused on enhancing and protecting water quality and quantity. She also represents the PIE Center on the natural resources and environmental quality team and the initiative about economic development in urban and rural communities, which utilizes her expertise in community decision making.
By enhancing and conserving Florida’s natural resources and by working with county Extension faculty, Lamm says it’s important to bring awareness to the water issues Floridians face. She is also an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
Lamm is also helping develop the Watershed Academy, a volunteer program that teaches volunteers about creating sustainable watersheds and improving previous practices.
“Florida Extension is all about taking research from the university and using it to educate the public,” Lamm said. “I am so excited I get to put research into practice. It’s taking what we do and collaborating with people that know their communities to inform the public.”
